A new research centre at the University of Calgary has been established to inform the public about agriculture. The Simpson Centre for Agriculture and Food Innovation will focus on research around public policy that supports growth and sustainability of agri-food and agri-business, particularly in Western Canada. Seeing a lack of co-ordinated, peer-reviewed information, local Calgary […] Read more
Barbara Duckworth
Stories by Barbara Duckworth
New distillers grains introduced to feed market
Ethanol plants extract more value out of the corn kernel and develop more byproducts to meet specialized requirements
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The value of distillers grains as livestock feed is well accepted, but new technologies are extracting new co-products with specific benefits. Dried distillers grains are an internationally traded commodity but wet distillers co-products are often used locally where farms are located close to an ethanol plant. Most of the wet product […] Read more
Only 40 percent of consumers believe beef is sustainable
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The public was once in love with the cowboy image, but modern consumers now question how that image correlates with safe food production and environmental protection, those attending a session at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association convention recently heard. Studies show 40 percent of the public believes beef production is sustainable, […] Read more
Producers can train their cattle to eat weeds
Toxins are a concern, but they generally do no harm under managed grazing and when a variety of forages is available
FORT MACLEOD, Alta. — Cattle can learn to eat new forages and teach others to follow suit, said grazing specialist Kathy Voth. She runs Livestock for Landscapes out of Arizona and works with ranchers to train their cattle to get rid of a variety of troublesome plants like leafy spurge, knapweed, Canada thistle, pigweed and […] Read moreNutrition: fact from fiction
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Listening to friends at the coffee shop or searching the internet may not be the best way to get sound animal nutrition advice. In a tag team event, animal nutritionists Dusty Abney and Wesley Moore of the international feed company Provimi busted some common nutrition myths at the recent National Cattlemen’s […] Read more
U.S. beef sector focuses on plant-based product labels
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The push to more clearly label simulated meat products is a major policy thrust for the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. The Real Meat Act or Marketing Edible Artificials Truthfully has gone to the United States House of Representatives and the Senate, but action is unlikely in this presidential election year. The […] Read more
Changing consumer trends affect beef demand
Bone-in products are gaining popularity in grocery stores, while fresh beef is considered higher quality than frozen
SAN ANTONIO, Texas —The beef industry’s ultimate goal is to maximize the value of every animal and find buyers for every part of the carcass in domestic and export markets. A wide ranging study into the vagaries of beef demand was presented at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association convention held in San Antonio, Texas, Feb. […] Read more
Success in beef starts with calves
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Calf health is the number one priority for success on a beef operation. The top third of producers invest the most in genetics, nutrition and animal health. They do not cut back on feed because they do not want calves to lose weight, said veterinarian Joe Gillespie of Boehringer Ingelheim. On […] Read more
Good relationship with veterinarian can pay off
The Alberta Veterinary Medical Association has formalized five points for a veterinary client patient relationship:
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — Scott Hand manages JX Cattle Ranch in Texas and has learned the value of having a good veterinarian. The ranch has about 500 commercial cows, which need treatments, pregnancy checks and other services. His vet, Keelan Lewis, offers producer education sessions to share information on emerging diseases, vaccines that might be […] Read more
Year shaping up well for American beef trade
The sector remains volatile, but all segments of the industry are told that they can expect to be profitable this year
SAN ANTONIO, Texas — The traditional cattle cycle of boom and bust phases may be gone, but volatility continues for the beef business. However for 2020, the entire U.S. beef chain can expect to be profitable, said Cattlefax analysts at the National Cattlemen’s Beef Association convention held in San Antonio, Texas, from Feb. 4-7. “When […] Read more
